Yesterday I flew from Boston to San Francisco, and I had the window seat. I had forgotten how amazing that seat is, because you can see the entire country from above! I saw the lush green summer of upstate New York, the dry-looking mountains of northern Colorado; the dusty blues and sandy beiges of Utah; the brilliant red, green, yellow, and white salt ponds near San Francisco; and of course, countless crop fields in squarish and circular shapes across much of the middle of the country and California’s Central Valley. I was even able to see Niagara Falls, thanks to an announcement from our captain. (Although 39,000 feet up is not the most impressive way to see that particular landmark, I don’t think.)
Seeing the world from above is something everyone should do, from time to time. Even if that only means hiking up to the highest peak in your area. It provides a different perspective on the little piece of Earth you inhabit.
In the spirit of appreciating your corner of the world, I present this hand-drawn map by Sue Prince of Views From the Hills, drawn of her home in Derbyshire, England. Sue says:

We perch on our planet, precariously tilting on the curve of the earth. We dig our roots into the soil, our foundations into the rock. For generations we live in our landscapes, building, farming and creating our places. I am fascinated by our presence in the landscape. I am fascinated by hand drawn maps and the stories that appear in them, I also make hand drawn birds-eye-view maps.

Sue outlines the steps she took to make her map, if you’re inspired to draw a bird’s eye map of your own town or neighborhood!
[via DIY.org]